Town of Dewitt considers eminent domain battle to clean up eyesore
“”We want to tell the parties that we are serious and we want this done,” Dewitt Town Supervisor Ed Michalenko announced to members of his town’s board on Monday night.
The push for action followed his recommendation that the town pursue eminent domain to give a developer access to land owned by McDonald’s near Carrier Circle.
Plans to tear down the old and rundown Howard Johnson building would make way for two new hotels. But, the project has been delayed for years because there’s no open spot to build an access road for hotel customers.
McDonald’s had agreed to give up part of its property, with conditions.
“McDonald’s Corporate is requesting that this new hotel, in order to get easement across their property, sign off on any ability to serve brand name products,” Michalenko explained. “So, it couldn’t serve Maxwell House, it couldn’t serve Starbucks, couldn’t put a cereal out that said Kellogg on it or Post or whatever today’s cereals are. So, we think that’s a little unreasonable.”
Michalenko warned that a legal battle could take a long time and a lot of money. But, if the alternative may kill the hotel deal and the cleanup that goes with it, pursuing eminent domain is not off the table yet…unless McDonald’s serves up another solution.
“Every week we try to set up a meeting and try to get a call to them and most of the time they are not responsive,” said Dewitt Town Board member Joseph Chiarenza.”
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Local SYR.com 12 August 2014.